Letter to the Editor: Help your neighbors in Chenango

The Chenango United Way is starting its annual fund raising campaign September 22, 2012 with a Day of Caring. Many volunteers will be helping our community “spruce up” with United Way’s projects around the county. A sampling of the projects occurring on the Chenango United Way Day of Caring is community clean-up, painting and general building projects.

We just want to remind our friends around the county that their dollars given here stay in the county to help our residents in many different ways. The Chenango United Way also ensures that the dollars given to a specified program are used as requested, not channeled off to some other projects that were not approved. Some examples of what has been accomplished this past year that many may not be aware of are:

We hope that the residents of Chenango County will see fit to contribute time and/or money to assist the Chenango United Way in meeting the 2013 campaign goal of $444,000.

New for this year is a matching grant program which is made possible by the generosity of some local businesses. Under this program, first time givers will have their donations matched dollar for dollar; likewise, current givers who decide to increase their gift by $2 per week will also have their donations matched.

In addition to the new grant matching program, new donors who give $2 per week or more will be entered in a drawing for a $250 Visa gift card. All current givers who give $2 or more per week will be entered in a drawing for a $500 Visa gift card.

Perhaps even more rewarding than these great incentives, there is the personal satisfaction that comes with helping your neighbors. With that said, we would like to encourage everyone to help the Chenango United Way raise the necessary funds to help our neighbors in Chenango County.